Swale Looks to Be in Havana's Future

Todd Pletcher said Wednesday he's considering the Swale Stakes on March 1 for Havana. The colt has yet to to put in a workout this year, putting the Feb. 22 Fountain of Youth beyond his reach.

The Swale is run at seven furlongs, while the Fountain of Youth is contested at a mile and a sixteenth. Havana was triumphant in the one-turn, one-mile Champagne last fall in his second career start and finshed second to the now-retired New Year's Day in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, his first start around two turns. He hasn't raced since then.

“I think I’m going to be in the Swale with him,” Pletcher said. “I just missed too much time and got behind schedule a touch. I’m hoping to make the worktab with him probably later this week and then point for the Swale.”

The Swale does not carry Kentucky Derby points, but Pletcher said Havana is still on the Kentucky Derby Trail. However, he plans to limit the son of Dunkirk to one more two-turn race before the first Saturday in May.

“If he were to run well in the Swale and then come back, I think that gives him time for two preps,” the trainer said. “Only one of them will be around two turns, that’s all.”